posted 12-18-2009 10:26 AM
I just started going through a box of shuttle related patches that I have, and came across these three. According to the notes I have with them, they are from the recovery of the Challenger and are supposedly on the rarer side. I know almost nothing about patches and would just like to find out if they are indeed from the the recovery efforts and what value they may or may not have. Thanks.

webhamsterNew Member

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posted 12-18-2009 08:10 PM
The USS Sunbird was involved in Challenger recovery efforts from February 12 to April 22, 1986 along with NR-1.

As far as the ship history goes, it was a Chanticleer-class submarine rescue ship commissioned in 1950, de-commissioned in 1993, and scrapped in 2005.

I'm not sure where the other two patches fit in. I couldn't find anything on them.

webhamsterNew Member

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posted 12-18-2009 10:52 PM
I have found more: M/V Stena Workhorse recovered a piece of SRB wreckage on April 13, 1986. It used the Gemini ROV.

To my eye, though, I think that the Sunbird patch was (obviously) the only one designed specifically to commemorate the recovery effort. The other two, while they were involved, appear to me to be patches that would have been worn by regular crew members. Although, I think they're a pretty good piece of history.

daveblogMember

Posts: 129From: Bergenfield, NJ USARegistered: May 2004

posted 12-19-2009 12:21 PM
Thanks for the info. It is amazing how much information can be learned from the members of this board and their research and knowledge.

Go4LaunchMember

Posts: 400From: Bethesda, MDRegistered: Jul 2003

posted 12-19-2009 11:02 PM
I believe the Gemini was a small (unmanned) submersible platform with cameras and possibly radar deployed on a cable from one of the 51-L search and recovery ships.